Tuesday, 11 October 2016

Cherringham: Dead in the Water An exclusive extract

Dead
in the Wateris the first full-length novel set in
the sleepy English village of Cherringham, featuring the unlikely sleuthing duo
Sarah Edwards, an English web designer, and Jack Brennan, American ex-cop. The
last episode,A Death in the Family, saw Jack rush
back to the US to be with his family, leaving Sarah behind…

On the night of the school prom, popular teacher
Josh Owens is found dead in the Thames in a drug-related accident. At first, it
seems to be another sign that Cherringham High is spiralling out of control but
the new head isn’t so sure, and quietly calls in local sleuth Sarah Edwards.
Sarah is initially reluctant to take on the case, especially without Jack. But
with the possibility of serious drug dealing at her daughter’s school, she
feels compelled to get involved. However, it quickly becomes clear that there
is more to Josh’s death than meets the eye, and that Sarah’s own life could be
in danger. Solving crimes just isn’t the same without Jack…

------

“That your lot, Maddie?” said Billy
Leeper, sliding two pints of lager across the bar, shouting to be

heard over the music and noisy crowd.

Maddie looked down at the tray of
drinks she’d just ordered.

A big round – and now she realised
she’d forgotten to order her own drink.

“Sorry, Billy – one more glass of
white wine, please. Any old thing will do – long as it’s nice and

cold!”

She watched the barkeeper disappear
down to the other end of the bar, then looked around.

The Ploughman’s was as packed as she’d
ever seen it. Cherringham’s favourite local pub – not as posh as the Angel
farther up on the High Street, but still the go-to place for any village event.

And tonight, there was more than just
the usual Friday night crowd.

A mob of her fellow teachers had come
down after the prom for a well-deserved pint, and some of the now-departing
pupils were happy to drink with them. She recognised a few of the boys and
girls in their smart suits and gowns, knocking back drinks as if they did it
every weekend.

Well, she
thought, they probably do.

“Here you go,” said Billy, adding a
glass of white wine to the tray. “On the tab?”

“Thanks, Billy.”

She picked up the tray and turned to
go.

“They’re all eighteen, I’m assuming?”
said Billy, nodding towards the students dotted around the

pub.

“Oh, I’m sure they are,” said Maddie,
not at all sure, but moving off quickly towards the tables at

the rear of the pub.

On the way, she passed a crowded table
by the dartboard and spotted a few of the lower sixth formers, standing with
pints and bottles in their hands. Now, this lot definitely weren’t
eighteen.

Should she say something?

She could see Callum Brady in the
group. And Liam Norris and Jake Pawson.

The Usual
Suspects, as they were known up at the school.

In T-shirts and jeans, looking
aggressive even just standing there and drinking.

And liable to cause trouble if she
told Billy they were underage.

They certainly did plenty of that at
school.

Sooner
they were gone… the better.

Jake caught her eye – and the whole
group stopped talking and turned to look at her.

The look – a challenge.

As if to say: go on then; just try
to get us thrown out.

If you got
the balls.

She turned away and carried on walking
with her tray of drinks to the back of the pub.

Dammit, she
thought, what kind of coward am I?

But when she got to the back room of
the pub, she put the encounter with the dartboard crowd to the back of her
mind.

In the time she’d been gone, her group
had grown even bigger. Someone had shoved three tables together. Now there must
be nearly twenty – teachers and students both – all laughing, joking, telling stories.
All glad the year was over: summer, university, the future… beckoning.

She lowered the tray onto the nearest
table and everybody cheered and grabbed their drinks.

She picked up her white wine and waved
to Tim sitting at the middle of the table, talking to one of

his star English pupils – or at least,
listening to his tipsy rambling.

He gave her a long-suffering smile and
mouthed “sorry”.

The boy had taken her seat. She smiled
back and mouthed back – “no problem”.

“Here you go, Maddie,” came a voice
from the end of the table.

She turned around – it was Josh Owen. A
teacher the kids definitely adored.

A free seat next to him.

Should
she?

With a quick glance at Tim, she
skirted a group of locals, hemmed in by students, and threaded

her way round to the other end of the
large table.

“I could say I saved it for you, but
that would be lying,” said Josh.

“Well, you certainly know how to
flatter a girl. So, how did you like your first Cherringham prom?”

“Good fun, hmm?” said Josh. “I had
some great students in that year – sorry to see them go. Nice kids.”

“If only they were all nice.”

“Goes with the territory.”

Maddie took a sip of her wine.

“You talk to the new head?”

“Not tonight,” said Josh quietly. “Not
the right time.”

“But you are applying for the deputy
job?”

“You bet. There’s a lot needs changing
– and from what I’ve heard so far, I like her plans.”

“I just hope I’m part of them,” said
Maddie.

“You will be – if I’ve got anything to
do with it.”

She laughed.

“Hark at you, deputy head, sir, hiring
and firing already.”

“You bet. Mind how you behave, Ms.
Brookes.”

“Always…” she said, laughing.

She liked teasing Josh, playing with
him. He had a sparkle, as if he really enjoyed life.

Unlike…

She couldn’t help but look down the
table at Tim, still involved in a long, deep conversation.

Her boyfriend.

How she hated that word. God, she was
nearly thirty.

Maybe I
should start calling him my partner? But do I even want that?

Fiancé?

Though not
official yet…

Someone brought another tray of drinks
over and everyone starting grabbing their refreshed pints and glasses.

As she stared – Tim looked over at
her.

He smiled.

She smiled back.

And had a thought… what if Tim wasn’t
here?

***

Then the seat next to Tim – empty.

With a nod from Tim, she sailed away
from Josh.

“There you are!” Tim said. “I was just
saying that I want to do some real camping trips this summer! Get some good
long walks in. Proper treks – you know?”

She nodded. She noticed Tim looking at
her.

“How does that sound to you?”

A smile. “Yes. Shake off the school
year. Sounds great…”

Tim smiled at that, then turned back
to the group.

Out of the corner of her eye she was
aware of Josh getting up from the other end of the table.

He looked – for a moment – confused. She
watched him head into the front bar and thought… Strange…

But then she too got lost in the
excited talk of summer plans, the precious time away from kids